Why is the local Comhaltas branch named for Tom Finucane?
A tribute to Tom Finucane, printed in Treoir, #5, 1976, p. 26
Every issue of your great magazine pays tribute to the memory of some great Irish musicians. It seems to be a very fitting testimonial to history since there is no modern Capt. O’Neill to keep track of them all. A native of Tarbert Island, Co. Kerry, Tom Finucane spent many years in merchant marine in Dublin and was a regular at John O’Donoghue’s before joining his brother and sisters here in Rochester in 1960. I wonder if you would include the following note to his memory from all who loved him.
“The death of Thomas Finucane, 7/19/76, has left the city of Rochester without one of its most congenial Irish musicians. Always a ready conversationalist, he never lacked for a story and it was no bother for him to play almost any tune you could name on the violin, accordion or mandolin. Tom excelled on the old airs which he played with great feeling on the violin but he especially enjoyed a singing session where he, along with his brother Jim could usually be coaxed into singing a few of the songs from his native Tarbert Island, Co. Kerry - beautiful songs that no one else knew or had heard before. Now there is a mighty power station on the spot where he was born and raised. It was Tom, along with his brother Jim on the accordion, who kept tradition alive in Rochester and provided countless hours of entertainment for hundreds over the years. He will always be remembered by his friends and his wonderful family as a man of great faith and dedication.”
Ted McGraw
Irish Musicians Club
Addendum to the original article: A few of Tom’s favorites include “You’re as Welcome as the Flowers in May”, “The Sunshine Hornpipe”, “The Coolin”, “Mary Douglas Jig”. Tom is survived by his wife Mary, his sons Edmund (Margaret), and Leo (Carol), his daughter Mary Jo (Rodman). His sisters Maude Welling, Eileen Clifford and Mary Byrne, his brother Jim (Josie). When-ever you would meet Tom his parting words would always be “see you Fri. Night”. You see, Tom was responsible for opening the Harps Club of the GAA on Fridays and we could always expect to find some musicians at the club on those nights. So in 1973 when we when we picked the 2nd Fri. of the month to establish our monthly jam session and the Irish Musicians Club, it was based on Tom’s Fri night call. When we finally decided to join Comhaltas in 1986, it was a natural progression to suggest Tom Finucane as the name for our branch. In 1987 when the N.E. Region was formally established, below is the official certificate from the regional officers defining our branch here in Rochester.
Every issue of your great magazine pays tribute to the memory of some great Irish musicians. It seems to be a very fitting testimonial to history since there is no modern Capt. O’Neill to keep track of them all. A native of Tarbert Island, Co. Kerry, Tom Finucane spent many years in merchant marine in Dublin and was a regular at John O’Donoghue’s before joining his brother and sisters here in Rochester in 1960. I wonder if you would include the following note to his memory from all who loved him.
“The death of Thomas Finucane, 7/19/76, has left the city of Rochester without one of its most congenial Irish musicians. Always a ready conversationalist, he never lacked for a story and it was no bother for him to play almost any tune you could name on the violin, accordion or mandolin. Tom excelled on the old airs which he played with great feeling on the violin but he especially enjoyed a singing session where he, along with his brother Jim could usually be coaxed into singing a few of the songs from his native Tarbert Island, Co. Kerry - beautiful songs that no one else knew or had heard before. Now there is a mighty power station on the spot where he was born and raised. It was Tom, along with his brother Jim on the accordion, who kept tradition alive in Rochester and provided countless hours of entertainment for hundreds over the years. He will always be remembered by his friends and his wonderful family as a man of great faith and dedication.”
Ted McGraw
Irish Musicians Club
Addendum to the original article: A few of Tom’s favorites include “You’re as Welcome as the Flowers in May”, “The Sunshine Hornpipe”, “The Coolin”, “Mary Douglas Jig”. Tom is survived by his wife Mary, his sons Edmund (Margaret), and Leo (Carol), his daughter Mary Jo (Rodman). His sisters Maude Welling, Eileen Clifford and Mary Byrne, his brother Jim (Josie). When-ever you would meet Tom his parting words would always be “see you Fri. Night”. You see, Tom was responsible for opening the Harps Club of the GAA on Fridays and we could always expect to find some musicians at the club on those nights. So in 1973 when we when we picked the 2nd Fri. of the month to establish our monthly jam session and the Irish Musicians Club, it was based on Tom’s Fri night call. When we finally decided to join Comhaltas in 1986, it was a natural progression to suggest Tom Finucane as the name for our branch. In 1987 when the N.E. Region was formally established, below is the official certificate from the regional officers defining our branch here in Rochester.
